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Smoking among oral contraceptive users in Quebec in 1987.

To determine whether an association exists between oral contraceptive (OC) use and cigarette smoking, the data base of the 1987 Québec Health Survey, a cross-sectional study of a provincial population, was sampled to provide a self-weighted subsample. This study population consisted of 292 OC users and a comparison group of 294 non-users, who would have been eligible to use OCs by virtue of their lacking contraindications to their use. 50.5% (95% CI: 44.8%-56.2%) of OC users smoked, as opposed to 41.0% (95% CI: 35.3%-46.7%) of non-users. There was a significant association between OC use and smoking; crude OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.06-2.04, p = 0.02. Controlling for effect modifiers and confounders by logistic regression revealed that the positive association prevails mainly in younger married, separated, and single women, whereas in women over 30 and cohabiting women the association is negative. While the negative association in women over 30 may reflect the efforts of physicians to prevent the adverse interactions between OC use and smoking by preventing older smokers from using OCs, the positive association in younger women indicates that physicians may be unable to prevent younger OC users from smoking.

Adolescent↗

Occupational health problems and injuries among Quebec's physical educators.

The purpose of this study was to describe the traumatology of teaching physical education (PE) and to document the causes and mechanisms of injuries in this occupation. Our sample was composed of 314 physical educators (PEs) teaching at three school levels (primary school, secondary school and college) who responded to a questionnaire survey. The results showed a 0.55 rate of recent lesion per teacher per year (0.65 for women and 0.51 for men). A total of 37.6% of subjects were affected by a lesion during the last year at work. Subjects with a higher weekly frequency of leisure physical activities or endurance activities (five times and more) were less affected by chronic lesions as well as those who frequently practiced aerobic physical activities. Prevalence of chronic injuries was higher in older teachers. Our results confirm that the rate of lesions in this group of workers is high, and that school level and respondent age may influence the rate of lesion and the characteristics of risk factors. In particular, the effect of ageing and teaching specialization on the incidence of occupational problems in PEs warrants further research. Given the relatively high rate of injuries among PE teachers, we suggest that it is necessary to further explore preventive strategies to reduce occupational risk in these workers. In particular, prophylactic physical activity outside of work may represent such a strategy since PEs more active outside their work have lower chronic injury prevalence. PEs gave long periods of standing the highest rating for movements or positions most likely to cause them occupational injuries. It can thus be suggested to find ways to reduce standing position sustained for long periods.

Adult↗

Gene polymorphisms in the Quebec population: a risk to develop hypertriglyceridemia.

In Eastern Québec, two major lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene mutations, P207L and G188E, lead to complete LPL deficiency in homozygote subjects and contribute to elevated predisposition to hypertriglyceridemia in heterozygotes. First, we determined the allele frequencies of LPL (D9N, G188E, P207L, D250N, N291S, and S447X), APOE (C112R and C158R), PPARalpha (L162V), and PPARgamma2 (P12A) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a random-based cohort of the metropolitan Québec city area. Second, we compared the LPL X447 allele frequencies observed in the random cohort and in a cohort of LPL P207L deficient patients. In the random cohort, the LPL N9 rare allele exhibited a higher prevalence than previously expected (p=0.0001). The LPL X447 allele frequency was lower in the patient cohort (Freq: 4.4%) than in the random cohort (Freq: 11.2%) (p=0.0001). These results reveal the importance of genetic screening for LPL gene mutations D9N and S447X in a population at risk to develop hypertriglyceridemia.

Cohort Studies↗

Altered exoskeleton composition and vitellogenesis in the crustacean Gammarus sp. collected at polluted sites in the Saguenay Fjord, Quebec, Canada.

Gammarus sp. individuals were collected at four intertidal sites subjected to direct sources of pollution (marinas, ferry traffic, and harbors) and at one site with no direct source of pollution. Levels of vitellogenin-like proteins (Vtg), metallothioneins (MT), alkali-labile phosphates (ALPs) in proteins, and lipogenic enzyme activities (i.e., glucose-6-dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and malate enzyme) were measured in whole soft tissues. In exoskeletons, levels of pH-dependent extractable protein and chitin were determined to assess the possible impacts of pollution on exoskeleton integrity and the molting process. Results show that males were consistently heavier than females regardless of site quality but that the whole-body weight of both sexes was significantly lower at polluted sites. Females displayed either induced or decreased Vtg-like proteins at polluted sites, indicating significant changes in gametogenesis activity. MT levels were not sex dependent and tended to be induced at all impacted sites. ALP levels in acetone-fractionated proteins indicate altered phosphate mobilization at some impacted sites, where females tended to display higher ALP levels. Lipogenic enzyme activities did not vary by sex but were readily increased at impacted sites, suggesting a delay in gonad maturation rates. Exoskeleton protein characteristics revealed that the proportion of chitin in exoskeletons was a lower at most impacted site, suggesting disruption of chitin and pH-dependent protein mobilization. Principal component analysis revealed that gammarids collected at affected sites displayed substantial changes in the proportion of chitin, arthropodin, sclerotin, MTs, and intermediary glucose metabolism (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, and isocitrate dehydrogenase in soft tissues) and thus suffered from disturbed gametogenesis and exoskeleton integrity.

Animals↗

Plants used by the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee (Quebec, Canada) for the treatment of diabetes: A novel approach in quantitative ethnobotany.

In the last decade, the Cree Nation of Eeyou Istchee has witnessed a 150% increase in the prevalence of Type II Diabetes (T2D) for people aged over 20 years. Clinical intervention using conventional therapeutic methods has yielded only a limited success within this population. An ethnobotanical survey was carried out to identify potentially antidiabetic plant species used within the traditional pharmacopoeia of the Cree. Interviews were held with 34 Cree Elders using a list of 15 symptoms ranked according to their association to T2D. A total of 18 species were cited during the survey, spanning 9 plant families. Species were prioritized for pharmacological analysis according to a Syndromic Importance Value, based on their frequency of citation by informants and the number and specificity of symptoms for which they were used. Correspondence and clustering analyses were also performed to determine the specificity of association between species and symptoms and the symptom-based correlation between species. A data matrix and species ranking order generated from Cree-specific literature demonstrates significant similarity and correlation to our original matrix and ranking, respectively. This article demonstrates the applicability of various underutilized quantitative tools in ethnobotany, while taking a convincing preliminary step towards a therapy more in harmony with Cree culture and lifestyle.

Cluster Analysis↗

Association of fibrinogen and lipoprotein(a) as a coronary heart disease risk factor in men (The Quebec Cardiovascular Study).

Fibrinogen has been prospectively found to correlate with coronary heart disease (CHD) but a similar association has not been well established for lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)). Plasma lipids, Lp(a), and fibrinogen levels were measured in 2,125 men (aged 47 to 76 years) who were free of clinical CHD. During a 5-year follow-up period, 116 first CHD events were documented. Men with CHD were older, smoked more, had a higher prevalence of diabetes, and higher levels of systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, Lp(a), and fibrinogen, and lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Only fibrinogen levels in the upper tertile of the distribution compared with the lower tertiles were associated with a significant risk of CHD (adjusted risk ratio 2.5; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4 to 4.2; p = 0.0010). Such an association was not observed with Lp(a). To assess a possible relation between fibrinogen and Lp(a) to the risk of CHD events, men were assigned to 1 of 4 groups according to fibrinogen median levels and a Lp(a) cut-off level of 300 mg/L: group 1: fibrinogen < 4.05 g/L and Lp(a) < 300 mg/L; group 2: fibrinogen < 4.05 g/L and Lp(a) > or =300 mg/L; group 3: fibrinogen > or =4.05 g/L and Lp(a) < 300 mg/L; and group 4: fibrinogen > or =4.05 g/L and Lp(a) > or =300 mg/L. Using group 1 as a reference, a significant risk ratio was only documented in group 4 (2.5; 95% CI 1.2 to 5.1; p = 0.0132). In this population, high fibrinogen levels associated with high Lp(a) levels significantly increased the risk of CHD.

Adult↗

Reproductive attitudes of couples having a child with cystic fibrosis in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean (Quebec, Canada).

Cystic fibrosis (CF) has a high incidence (1/936 live births) and carrier rate (1/15 inhabitants) in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. One objective of a major enquiry among several subsets of individuals from this high-risk population for CF was to evaluate the reproductive behaviour of couples with a CF child attending the comprehensive CF clinic in Chicoutimi. The knowledge of the recurrence risk resulted in deciding against further progeny or in reducing the number of children. More reliable contraception methods after the birth of the CF child, but not prenatal diagnosis, were used. Although a minority of parents with a CF child would abort a CF foetus, they apparently started viewing pregnancy interruption for CF after prenatal diagnosis as an acceptable reproductive option.

Child↗

Familial aggregation of abdominal visceral fat level: results from the Quebec family study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of familial aggregation in abdominal visceral fat (AVF) level as assessed by computed tomography (CT). Four measures of abdominal adipose tissue, obtained from an abdominal scan between the fourth and fifth Lumbar vertebrae (L4-L5) taken in 366 adult subjects from 100 French-Canadian nuclear families, were considered in this study. Total abdominal fat, AVF, subcutaneous abdominal fat, obtained by computing the difference between total and AVF tissue areas, and the visceral to total abdominal fat ratio were measured. Spouses, parent-offspring, and sibling correlations were computed by maximum likelihood methods after adjustment of the four phenotypes for age and for age and total fat mass (FM) derived from underwater weighing. Significant familial aggregation was found for all phenotypes, whether adjusted or not for body FM. However, after adjustment of data for body FM, in addition to age, all spouse correlations became nonsignificant, suggesting that the familial aggregation of abdominal fat is primarily genetic. Heritability estimates reached 42% and 56% for subcutaneous fat and AVF, respectively. These results suggest that genetic factors are major determinants of the familial aggregation observed in the amount of abdominal fat, irrespective of total body fat content, and that AVF seems more influenced by genetic factors than abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue. These findings imply that some individuals are more at risk than others to exhibit the various metabolic complications associated with upper-body obesity because of their inherited tendency to store abdominal fat in the visceral depot rather than in the subcutaneous depot.

Abdomen↗